Delightful kindergarten homeschool curriculum which promote a love of learning can be hard to find. Find my other tips for Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum on my page.
Not only will I share how to choose a delightful curriculum, but I’ll explain the essentials.
Besides, it’s hard to choose a curriculum if you don’t know what subjects to teach.
Another important part of a kindergarten homeschool curriculum is the hands-on part.
Kindergarten aged children learn best by playing, exploring, and discovering.
When a curriculum for kindergarten is overly focused on academics instead of promoting a love of learning, a child’s start can be stunted.
From the beginning, all children have a love of learning.
So, it’s important that whatever resource you use to teach your kindergartener that it will continue to nurture the love for learning.
First, what is a delightful kindergarten?
Appreciating how to sort curriculum begins with what you know and don’t know.
Back 20 years or so ago, it was much easier to choose a kindergarten homeschool curriculum because educators mostly agreed that children should play learn.
Now with a shift in education, there is a mindset that more lessons, earlier academic lessons, and a busier schedule works. It does not.
Instead, I’ve seen young adults push back at being what they perceived as over achieving or forced learning.
From the parents perspective, they thought they were conscientious educators.
What a horrible mistake to make.
Some of those families who started their homeschool journey when I did have a strained relationship with their young adult kids. How sad.
This may sound dramatic, but the truth of it is from kindergarten, their parents constantly pushed their children. Being overly ambitious bites.
As I mentioned briefly, defining what is delightful will help you to match curriculum with a child’s development.
What is Delight-Directed Study
And the BEST description of what is delight-directed learning still comes from Greg Harris which I read over 25 years ago.
A delight-directed study is like a wonderful fire in the mind of a student. It starts small, but as it grows, it begins to consume vast amounts of information until it bursts into a roaring blaze of insight, understanding, and creativity. It takes on a life of its own. — Gregg Harris
Can you see why what you choose from the beginning matters?
What Kindergarten Subjects to Teach
Now, learning what is foundational to teach and what part of a body of knowledge can wait or added in later matters.
From the meaning of delight-directed study, the essential kindergarten subjects are math and language arts.
Taking this a step further, the components of language arts change from kindergarten to high school.
For example, composition is a component of language arts, but that skill is not necessary until about fourth grade.
Before you can narrow down your choices for language arts, you need to know what is language arts.
Language arts includes all facets of English. Phonics, reading/literature, spelling/vocabulary, grammar, composition, penmanship, and even oral speaking are the components.
What are the Kindergarten Language Art Subjects
As you can see a kindergarten homeschool curriculum should not cover unnecessary language arts.
When a program does this, it takes away from the basics.
It is not nurturing lifelong learners by stuffing in academics.
The language arts components to a kindergarten curriculum for homeschool are phonics, reading, penmanship, and oral speaking.
Language arts is learning to both write and speak English.
Let’s not make this any more complicated than it must be.
Also, if you want a big picture of the subjects to teach, you’ll love my online self-paced course, Teaching the Stages of Homeschool.
Best Language Arts Curriculum for Kindergarten
With that being said, look at some of my favorite language arts programs for kindergarten.
I have listed both all-in-one which means all subjects are purchased together and separate components.
Moreover, I have listed a variety of the best language arts curriculum for kindergarten because you need to decide what are you needs this year.
For example, if you’re just teaching one or two children you can hand pick a phonics and reading program.
If you have a sweet handful of younger learners where you’re outnumbered, you may want to go with something put together already.
- The Good and the Beautiful.
- Rod and Staff.
- Moving Beyond the Page
- And one of my VERY favorites is Five in a Row because it’s literature based.
However, the best part of homeschooling Kindergarten is when you can hand pick each component.
There are so many wonderful resources now in the homeschool world which benefit your kids.
Best Language Art Separate Components
Learning through nature, hands-on games, and interactive content are some of my favorite ways.
Whether you’re teaching kindergartener handwriting (hopefully not too much) or you want to teach them to read, you’ll love these resources.
- All About Reading is fun, thorough and hands on. In addition, when your child needs to learn spelling, it goes naturally into the next language art component.
- Foundations (Logic of English) Levels A-D is another wonderful program to begin in kindergarten.
- Explode the Code for phonics.
- The Ordinary Parent’s Guide to Teaching Reading.
- Horizons Phonics.
- And because I believe in teaching children cursive first instead of unlearning print, my vote is New American Cursive.
Moving on to math, it is the second important component of a kindergarten program.
Homeschool Math Kindergarten and Supplements
Too, math is best learned hands-on with math manipulatives.
Some programs push a child to give up the concrete for the abstract of ideas too soon.
- Horizons Math
- Mathematical Reasoning
- Math U See Primer
- Math U See Manipulatives Starter Set and Completer Set with Wooden Storage Boxes
I’m an advocate of keeping math hands-on as long as the child needs it not until a certain grade.
And some days you should skip formal math lessons in favor of a fun game. There is NOT a subject that can’t be taught through either a board game, card game, or a fun app.
- Math for Love Tiny Polka Dot
- ThinkFun Zingo Bingo Award Winning Preschool Game for Pre/ Early Readers Age 4 and Up
- Learning Resources Sum Swamp Game Addition & Subtraction Game – 8 Pieces, Ages 5+
- Race to Planet X: Number Bond Game
Furthermore, the fun subjects are what keeps kindergarten fun.
Although language arts and math are the foundation, science, geography, history, art and nature are just as important.
However, remember to keep it a skinny lady in your teaching so that you stay clearly focused on what is important.
The skinny lady subjects are math and language arts.
So, when you become overwhelmed, focus on those two content areas.
History Curriculum for Kindergarten
Whether you’re looking for geography books for kindergarten, history books for kindergarten or history activities for kindergarten, you’ll love some of these resources.
- Look at this United States Coloring Book.
- Galloping the Globe and White House Cut & Assemble.
- Another series The Magic Tree House has the Magic Tree House Books 21-24 Boxed Set which is American History.
- There is a reason this much loved Who was What was Where is series has close to 200 books. It was a hit when this series started.
- Little Passports has both World and United States geography. Recommended for ages 3 to 12 years old
- The Early American History Jumbo Primary pack for K to third grade introduced my kids to American history makers through beautiful literature as opposed to a boring text book
- .The d’Aulaire Biographies. George Washington
- Benjamin Franklin
- Pocahontas
- Columbus
- Leif the Lucky
- Buffalo Bill
- Abraham Lincoln
And don’t forget I have these fun Westward Expansion Coloring sheets to engage your young historian.
Science Curriculum for Kindergarten
Finally, here are some fun kindergarten science homeschool curriculum resources.
Before you jump into choosing, you’ll need to decide if you want to use one which is Christian-based, secular, or faith-neutral.
I find that most resources I can tweak to my worldview or what is important to me.
In other words, just be aware but don’t get caught up in too much worldview at this age.
You have much time as your child grows to help him think critically. At this age, let him explore the world around him.
- An all-in-one-is BookShark.
However, what I like more are science kits and games because science is about doing.
- MEL Stem subscription.
- Green Kid Crafts for preschool through elementary. Different theme each month to emphasize STEAM. For ages 2 to 10 years old.
- Magic School Bus science club through (The Young Scientist Club) has 12 kits with the program and each kit has a 12 page colorful manual. For ages 5 to 12 years old with younger kids needing some supervision.
Finally, remember that forced learning before a child is ready can not only hamper, but harm a child’s ability to love learning.
Kindergarten Curriculum
A child needs to explore in nature, have plenty of time indoors and outdoors to play, and not be rushed when he is intrigued.
It’s not hard to pique curiosity at this age. Follow your child’s lead in what interests him, and he’ll carry that same love of learning all the way to high school and into adulthood.
What do you think? See anything that can help you or do you have questions?
Look at these other posts:
- Delightful Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Which Promote a Love of Learning
- 10 Affordable and Complete Homeschool Kindergarten Curriculum
- BEST Free Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum With A Gentle Approach (List)
- 21 Fun All-In-One Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum
- 15 Fun Resources For History for Kindergarten Homeschool
- 18 Kindergarten Science Homeschool Curriculum For Active Kids
- How to Choose a Homeschool Phonics Program Like a Pro (& recommendations)
- 5 Easy Steps to Putting Together Your Own Homeschool Phonics Program
- 12 of the Best Books For Beginner Readers
- How To Get Your First Homeschooled Child Reading
- Homeschooling Kindergarten: What Subjects to Teach and For Long
